Steamboat Springs  A couple of South Routt residents want their neighbors throughout the county to know a beautiful yard also can be a functional yard.

Yampa resident Sylvia Dennis, a restoration ecologist, and Chris Zuschlag, co-owner of South Routt Nursery in Phippsburg, are hosting a free seminar from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at the nursery to stress the importance of landscaping that protects from and, in some cases, prevents wildfire.

"Everyone seems to know wildfire is out there, but no one wants to do anything about it," Zuschlag said. "It isn't a question of if (a wildfire) is going to happen, but when. It's important people know what you can do to protect yourself and your home from a fire."

Zuschlag said Dennis, who is an expert in plant identification, will talk about how to use plants and other features that are less prone to wildfire. She also will discuss irrigation and designing defensible space areas.

"This seminar would benefit people who already have landscaping as well as people who are looking into landscaping," he said. "It's good information to keep in mind."

Lynn Barclay, a spokeswoman for the Bureau of Land Management, said the seminar addresses techniques that the U.S. Forest Service and BLM use to prevent wildfire.

"With us coming into fire season, I think it's appropriate for people to learn about fire-resistant plants and how to make landscape look desirable that is defensible at the same time," she said.

Fire danger currently is high in Routt County and even higher in Moffat County, Barclay said.

"It would be good preparation for people to be conscious of their surroundings, especially now," she said. "It's a wonderful program."

Updates on the Stagecoach Area Community Wildfire Pro-tection Plan will be available Saturday, Zuschlag said. The plan outlines how the area would handle a major wildfire.